Less than 24 hours prior to boarding a plane for his first spring training session, Jesse Hodges was still hard at it, swinging the lumber at Strike Zone in Esquimalt.
Taking cut after cut after cut at the indoor batting cage, Hodges was focused on the task at hand as he prepared to join the Chicago Cubs instructional league in Mesa, Arizona.
鈥淥f course I鈥檓 here. I wouldn鈥檛 want to be anywhere else,鈥� he said matter-of-factly after taking his final swings. 鈥淚 want to be prepared as much as I can be for what I have to do down there.鈥�
For the last two months, Hodges 鈥� who turns 19 on March 29 鈥� found his way down to the facility three or four times a week, to go along with his weight training. It鈥檚 all in hopes of making a strong run at playing Class-A ball in the Cubs鈥� organization, which signed him as a free agent last fall.
鈥淚鈥檒l miss my family,鈥� said Hodges, who left Thursday morning. 鈥淢y little sisters, mom, stepdad, dad, grandparents and my friends. But this is my job now, so I have to go down and concentrate on that.鈥�
Family is a big deal for the former Victoria Mariners shortstop, who will find a new home at third base in the Cubs鈥� chain.
Sisters Sarah, 6, Emma, 9, and Abby, 15, will all remain close to his heart. The same goes for his mom Sharon, stepfather Clyde Furtado, dad Steve and grandparents.
鈥淔amily is definitely a big part of my life. They travelled to wherever I was going to play ball, venturing to every doubleheader at Henderson [Park],鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd they鈥檝e always supported me for this ride and I鈥檓 thankful for that, for sure.鈥�
So much so that in the past few months he鈥檚 had tattoo work on his arms. The word Ohana, which refers to extended family, on his right and a guardian angel, with the words, 鈥淚鈥檓 always with you,鈥� on his left, depicting his mom.
A sa国际传媒 tattoo down the side of his torso is a reminder of his fantastic stint with the national junior team, which led to his signing.
鈥淚鈥檓 pumped,鈥� he said prior to departing. 鈥淚鈥檓 going down there to compete 鈥� blood, sweat and tears. I want to make it to A-ball. I don鈥檛 want to go to extended spring [training]. I want to prove to them that I鈥檓 able to do something and I鈥檓 capable of it.
鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 in the best shape of my life. I鈥檝e put on a lot of muscle and my swing feels faster and stronger,鈥� said the six-foot-one, 215-pounder. 鈥淭he ball seems to jump a lot more with my arm strength.鈥�
Hodges was leaving 10 days early to partake in a mini camp prior to joining other Cubs prospects.
鈥淢aking A-ball is pushing myself and making myself do what I want to do,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think anything is impossible.
鈥淚 want to play in the major leagues. I think I can do it. I鈥檓 confident that I can,鈥� he insisted. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to be in the minor leagues all my life. I want to prove that I can do it.鈥�
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